Parameterization of the FAO Aquacrop Model For Irrigated Cotton in the Humid Southeast

Robust crop models help complement field experimentation and predict the impact of alternate management on production. Recently, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations developed the AquaCrop, a yield response to water stress model. AquaCrop has been parameterized for a number of crops, but not for cotton in a humid region. Using field data, AquaCrop was parameterized and tested for cotton under both open field and a rainout shelter at the Clemson University. Using the parameterized model with independent field data, the model simulated canopy cover, soil water content, and cumulative ET values that were highly correlated with measured values. The properly parameterized AquaCrop provides the necessary tool to study irrigation optimization under intermittent drought stress and climate variability in the humid Southeast.